One Woman with a Good Heart, or, The Viagra Mishap
by Sub-commandante X
It started out to be a trip to see old friends from my hippie/college days in California. But, it soon turned out to be so much more. A few days before I was to leave, I got news from the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Anti-Imperialist (VVAW-AI).
I'm a card-carrying, dues paying member. A protest march against the 'War on Terrorism', and the policies of the unelected junta presiding in Washington, D.C. was scheduled for April 20, 2002.
Purely by happenstance, or just good luck, I was going to be in California during that time! So, I quickly made my priority to be in San Francisco on April 20th.
Sitting in the Fort Lauderdale airport, waiting for my flight, I was still coming down from the previous night's high of being in a Thornton Wilder Play, 'Our Town'.
And I was struck that we are not simply the spectator-consumers on a time-crunch treadmill that we're supposed to be. No more… we never were.
No matter how much social pressure is exerted to get you into that box, resist it with all your might. Orwell, in '1984', unfortunately was prophetic. Though, he was, in retrospect, 17 years off.
Indeed, today we have 'eternal war', 'newspeak', and extensive 'security surveillance' as mainstays of our contemporary society. Commit yourself to oppose that path. It leads nowhere that you, or your children's children want to go.
Antonia and I met some 30 years ago. She was too young for me back then and not exactly my type. Besides, she was pregnant.
But, as I performed the marriage ceremony (my first, and last, wedding as a cereal box minister) I recall thinking, she shouldn't be going with my speed freak friend; "She should be with me."
Funny, what you can still remember from so many years gone by.
Antonia (we never called her 'Tony') was at LAX to pick me up. I walked right past her, but she recognized me and called my name. We hugged and danced for joy.
We went for a late night tour of our old stomping grounds on Venice Beach and Santa Monica. We smoked a joint or two, for old times sake.
It was a bit uneasy as we entered our motel room for the night. We were both relieved to see there were two beds. She got one, and I the other.
In the morning, we decided to head up the Pacific Coast Highway to the march and rally, we had 3 days to get there. No sweat really, but we had to get an early start.
Twelve days in a car with someone you hadn't seen in three decades could either make for a disaster, or a very interesting situation. Fortune must have been smiling, because we got the latter.
All along you know that a good heart is the most valuable possession. We know that instinctively. But we tend to get distracted out in the world by the dazzle, the flash, and the attitudes.
But you want keep that vision of one good woman, or a good man, close to your heart as you stumble around in the everyday what-the-hey.
The anti-war march on April 20 started from Delores Park in the Mission District to San Francisco City Hall. I didn't wear my contact lenses for the march, and kept water and a wash cloth close at hand, just in case we got tear-gassed.
But it was smooth, with no hassles, as far as I could see. "'Cause the cops don't need you, and man, they expect the same," like they say.
I didn't personally mess with any fuzz, but I did, in fact, piss on City Hall. It wasn't even a political act. I just had to go real bad, and not a port-a-pot in sight. (I hope you understand.)
We assembled early enough to meet some very impressive members of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Anti-Imperialist.
I'd only known a few members by name, and communicated with them by email. That morning we got to meet some real-life anti-military heroes in person. And that felt real good.
Veterans who are opposed to war, have a strong message to communicate, and powerful voices to tell it with. It's a message that must be heard.
It's the warriors who've been there who know that war is not the answer to anything. Except, maybe, some international bankers' greed, and as the excuse for the next war.
According to the march organizers, some 50,000 people took part. The police say 20,000 folks turned out. The median between the two estimates is 35,000.
The march from Delores Park was complicated by the fact that the plaza in front of City Hall was full when there were still groups in the park that hadn't moved yet. 35,000 would be a very conservative estimate.
The strength and power of the protestors was electrifying. The call demanding Palestinian rights was dominant. A group called Jewish Voices, carried signs that read, "Not In Our Name, Sharon Is Not Acting In Our Name."
A couple of days after the march, I called a magazine publisher, and ran a story idea by him. It was approved. My very first professional article will be published in December! So, the trip quickly became a 'working vacation' with one phone call.
From the two-bed motel room, we evolved to a one-bed room on the second night. (We snuggled.) The third day, we kissed under a tree in the rolling hills of San Luis Obispo.
And things changed fast and furious, but in an easy, unrushed kinda way. When the supply of Viagra ran out, we went to a pharmacy to refill the prescription.
Only after it was filled, and the pharmacist's assistant wished us, "a very good night," did we realize that that I had left a joint in the prescription bottle that I had handed to her.
Shit, how dumb! Hell, everybody knows you could get a ticket for getting caught with a joint in the Golden State. Oh, we're very grateful.
Grateful to the State of California, to the universe, and to a certain pharmacist's assistant in Buena Park. We really had a very special, wonderful time. And the whole trip was magical like that.
(And, I have photos to prove it.)
Sub-X is a survivor of the radical '60s. These days he's attempting to get beyond the 'Them' and 'Us' duality of Conflict Consciousness. Trying to eliminate conflict from one's reality is a lot like dealing with alcohol. It's an on-going process. Currently, Sub-X seeks solutions and asks, "Why not more beauty, love, and joy?" We know we can do so much better. OK, so why not? Write him at johnech@mindspring.com